Porous Ceramic Wick for Heat Transport Speed
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat transport devices using wicks for transferring working fluids by capillary force have limited heat transport performance due to the low transfer speed of the working fluid in the liquid state, which restricts their efficiency in downsized electronic devices.
Innovation Solution
A novel wick comprising a material with nanofibers and/or two-dimensional substances represented by the formula MQaOb, where M is an element from Groups 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7, Q is an element from Groups 12, 13, 14, 15, or 16 excluding O, and a and b are within specific ranges, is used to enhance the transfer speed of the working fluid.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional wick materials (sintered metal bodies or fiber-containing porous bodies) are used, then the heat transport device can be manufactured with standard materials, but the transfer speed of working fluid in liquid state is low, limiting heat transport performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a porous ceramic wick material with specifically controlled pore size distribution (peak in 1-10 μm range) to enhance capillary action. The porous structure provides capillary forces that efficiently draw liquid working fluid back to the evaporator, significantly improving transfer speed compared to conventional sintered metal or fiber materials while maintaining manufacturability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the wick material by controlling pore size distribution to have a peak in the 1-10 μm range and ensuring pore volume占比 of 30-80%. This parameter optimization enhances capillary pressure and fluid transfer speed, directly resolving the contradiction between manufacturability and heat transport performance
2Productivity
If the wick transfer speed is increased to improve heat transport performance, then heat transport efficiency improves, but the device complexity increases due to material specification requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies porous ceramic material with controlled pore structure parameters (pore size peak in 1-10 μm, pore volume 30-80%) which provides high transfer speed through enhanced capillary action. This material specification achieves high heat transport performance while remaining manufacturable using standard ceramic fabrication techniques
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs ceramic materials that can be composite or contain reinforcement fibers (carbon fibers, oxidized fibers) within the porous structure. This composite approach maintains structural integrity and enhances capillary properties while keeping the material manufacturable through established ceramic processing methods
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The use of the novel wick material significantly increases the transfer speed of the working fluid in the liquid state, thereby improving the heat transport performance of the device and enhancing its ability to handle high heat transport amounts.
Implementation Method 1
a wick that transfers a working fluid in a liquid state by a capillary force (suction force due to capillary phenomenon)
Implementation Method 2
the working fluid evaporates in a relatively high temperature portion to which heat is supplied from the outside
Implementation Method 3
the working fluid in a gaseous state moves in the housing and condenses in a relatively low temperature portion to release heat to the outside
Data Source
AI summary
A wick used for heat transport, the wick including a material containing a nanofiber and/or a two-dimensional substance represented by: MQaOb, wherein M is at least one element selected from Groups 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7, Q is at least one element selected from Groups 12, 13, 14, 15, or 16, and excluding O, a is more than 0 but not more than 2, and b is more than 0 but not more than 2.